The lamentable fall of Queene Elnor, who for her pride and wickednesse by Gods iudgements, sunke into the ground at Charing crosse, and rose vp againe at Queene Hive.
To the tune of Gentle and Courteous.
VVhen Edward was in England king
the first of all that name:
Proud Elnor he made his Queene,
a stately Spanish Dame,
Whose wicked life and sinfull pride,
through England did excell:
To dainty Dames and gallant Maides,
this Queene was knowne full well.
She was the first that did inuent
in Coaches braue to ride,
She was the first that brought this land
the deadly sinne of pride.
No English Taylor here could serue
to make her rich attyre:
But sent for Taylors into Spaine,
to feed her vaine desire.
They brought in fashions strange and new
with golden garments bright:
The farthingale, and mighty cuffes,
with gownes of rare delight
Our London dames is Spamish pride,
did florish every where,
Our English men like women then,
did weare long locks of haire.
Both man and childe, both maid & wife,
were drown'd in Pride if Spaine,
And though the Spanish Tailors then
our English men did staine:
Whereat the Queene did much despite
to see our English men.
In vestuees clad, as braue to see,
as any Spaniard then.
She craud the King that every man,
that wore long locks of haire,
Might then be cut and powled all,
or shaven very neare.
Whereat the King did seem content,
and soon thereto agreed,
And first commanded that his owne
should then be cut with speed,
And after that to please his Queene,
proclaimed through the land,
That euerie man that wore long haire,
should powle him out of hand.
But yet this Spaniard not content,
to women bore a spight:
And then requested of the King,
against all law and right.
That everie womankinde should have
her right breast cut away:
And then with burning Irons sear'd,
the blood to stench and stay,
King Edward then perceiuing wel,
her spight to women kinde:
Devised soon by policy,
to turne her bloudie minde.
He sent for burning Irons straight,
all sparking hot to see:
And said, O Queene come on thy way,
I will begin with thee.
Which words did much displease the Queen
that penance to begin,
But askt him pardon on her knees,
who gaue her grace therein.
But afterward she chanst to passe
along braue London streets,
Whereas the Maior of Londonds wife,
in stately sort she meetes.
With musicke, mirth and melody
unto the Church that went,
To give God thanks, that to Lo. Maior
a noble Sonne had sent.
It grieued much this spightful Queen,
to see that any one,
Should so exceed in mirth and ioy,
except her selfe alone:
For which she after did deuise.
within her bloudy minde,
And practisd still most secretly,
to kill that Ladie kinde.
Vnto Lord Maior of London then,
she sent he Letters straight,
To send his Lady to the Court,
vpon her Grace to wait:
But when the London Lady came
before proud Elnors face,
She stript her from her rich array,
and kept her vile and base,
She sent her into wales with speed,
and kept her secret there,
And used her still more cruelly,
then euer man did heare:
She made her wash she made her starch
she made her drudge alway:
She made her nurse up children small,
and labour night and day.
But this contented not the Queen,
but shew'd her more despight:
She bound this Lady to a post:
at twelve a clocke at night,
And as (poore Lady) she stood bound,
the Queene in angry mood,
Did set two snakes unto her breast,
that suckt away her blood.
Thus died the Maior of Londons wife,
most greeuous for to heare:
Which made the Spaniard grow more proud,
as after shall appeare.
The wheat that dayly made her bread
was bolted twentie times,
The food that fed this stately Dame,
was boild in costly wines.
The water that did spring from ground
she would not touch at all,
But washt her hands with dew of heaven
that on sweete Roses fall,
She bathd her body manie a time,
in fountaines filled with milke,
And every day did change attire,
in costly Median silke.
But comming then to London backe,
within her coach of gold,
A tempest strange within the skies,
this Queene did there behold:
Out of which storme she could not goe,
but their remaind a space,
Foure horses could not stirre her Coach
a foot out of that place.
A iudgement surely sent from heaven,
for shedding guiltlesse bloud,
Vpon this sinfull Queene, that slew
the London Lady good.
King Edward then (as wisedome wild)
accus'd her for that deede:
But she denied, and wisht that God
would send his wrath with speed,
If that upon so vile a thing
her heart did ever thinke,
She wisht the ground might open wide,
and therein she might sinke:
With that at Charing-Crosse she sunke,
into the ground aliue,
And after rose with life again,
in London at Queene-Hiue.
Where after that she languisht sore,
full twentie daies in paine:
At last confest, the Ladies blood
her guilty hands did staine:
And likewise how that by a Frier
she had a base borne childe,
Whose sinful lust and wickednesse,
her marriage bed defilde.
Thus you haue heard the fall of pride,
a iust reward of sinne:
For those that will forsweare thēselues
Gods vengeance daily winne,
Beware of pride ye London Dames,
both Wiues and Maidens all,
Beare this imprinted in your minde,
that pride must haue a fall.
FINIS.
Printed by the Assignes of Thomas Symcocke▪